Ophthalmic mounting



Jan. 8, 1946. E. M. SPLAINE 2,392,418

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Original Filed Oct. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l "7 Ino g' INVENTOR EDWA/ZD M- SPLAINE BY WEY Jan. 8, 1946. E, MfSPL AlNE2,392,418

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Original Filed Oct. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w vINVENTOR x171? EDWARD M- LAINE BY v- I I I I A%EORNEY view taken as online Patented Jan. 8, 1946 OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Edward M. Splaine,Southbridge, .Mass.,

assignor to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass,, .a voluntaryassociation of Massachusetts I Original application October 21, 1939,Serial No.

300,605. Divided and 1943, Serial No.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ophthalmic mountings.

This application isa division of my copending application Serial No.300,605, filed October 21. 193-9, now issued as Patent No. 2,316,817.One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide anophthalmic mounting having a non-metallic lens supporting structure andrelatively long and slender adjustable temple supports shaped to followthe upper contour portions of said lens supporting structure.

Another object is to provide an ophthalmic mounting, of the abovecharacter, having its temple supports above the useful field of visionwhen the mounting is in position of use on the face of the wearer, thatis, so'that the temples-lie at least above the center of the pupils ofthe eyes when the mounting is on the face.

' Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I,therefore, do not wish to be limited to the exact arrangement disclosedas the preferred form only has been given by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. I is a perspective View of an ophthalmic mounting embodying theinvention;

' 'Fig. II is a plan view of the mounting illustrated in Fig. I;

Fig. III is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the assembly ingstructure;

Fig. IV is an enlarged fragmentary sectional of the lens and templesupportview taken as on line IV IV of Fig. I;

Fig. V is a fragmentaryrear elevation illustrating a modification oi theinvention;

Fig. VI is an enlarged fragmentary sectional VI-'VI of Fig. V; Fig.VII'is'a fragmentary plan view of another modification;

Fig. VIII is a-rea-r elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. VII; p

Fig. IX is a fragmentary partial rear elevation of a furthermodification of the invention;

Fig. X is a side elevation of the construction illustrated in Fig. IX;

Fig. XI is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on line XI-XI of Fig.IX;

Fig. is a view generally similar to Fig. IX but of a furthermodification;

this application April 17, l

alternate which'the lenses may be :quickly and easily assembled withoutthe necessity of having divided lens supporting rims with mechanicalmeans for securing the lenses in said rims, :a-ndto the provision ofadjustable temple supporting members which will afiord a relatively widerange of 'ad justment without disturbing the suporting relation of thelenses and which will be relatively inconspicuous when the mounting isviewed from the front and which will avoid having undesirable protrudingportions or horn-like projections. at the sides of themounting, whichmight be acci dentally engaged by the hand when placing :the mountingentire face and will also avoid danger of dislodging the mounting fromthe face and of having thesaid 'mounting fall and break the lenses.

Another feature of the invention is :to-provide a protective marginalrim about the contour edges of the lenses which will have a relativelysmoothconto-ur surface and which will support the lenses in desiredfixed spaced relation with each other during the use of the mounting.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters ofreference designate like parts throughout the several views the mountingembodying the invention comprises a pair :of lens rims I preferablyformed of nonmetallic material which is light in"weight,'noncorrosiveand non-tarnishing in natureand which will permit the lenses Hi to besnapped into as sembled relation therewith and which will retain itsshape and afiord protection for the lenses during use. The material ofthe lens rims is preferably asynthetic resin having the characteristicsof methyl methacrylate and may be cellulose, shell or horn-likematerial, all of which are light in weight and have non-corrosivecharacteristics. The lens rims are joined by an integral bridge 2 of thesame material as the lens rims and also have rearwardly deflected nosebearing pads-3 of the same material. Relatively long and slender barliketemple supports 4 are provided with ends 5 which are flattened so as tohave a relatively wide side surface contact with the rear surface of theportion 5 andare he 7 r ends l extend rearwar the'upper outer con ofvisionwhen the mountin lie'at least above theicente eyes when themounting is the face/and when the eyes are normal straight ahead vision.

rims. The rivets or the like 6 may exten 'may b formed integral.therewith, as desire smooth so that suitable wide area 7 danger ofhaving the material of the fr mounting bre 7 It is also'to flushrelation with the outer" o .the lens supporting structure.

Qteristics of different indivi and slender temple suppor rearwardly froma p01 1 ,Jtions H! adjacent the pivot adjusted inwardly or outwar{downwardly relativ Care is taken that during the formin wardly'extending portions ,"Becausecf the fact thatthe tem are separate fromthe lens sup .said rims-may. be expanded un heat by a suitable expandingtool front of the mounting adjacent the bridge, as illustrated in Figs.II to IV inclusive. The ends 53 of the temple supports 4 are secured insurface contact withthe rear surface of the front of the mounting byrivets or the like 6 carried by a plate I. The rivets 6 extend throughthe front of the mounting and through spaced openings in the end adedover as illustrated at 8 to secure the said end to the front. Theportions 5 extend upwardly to the rearwardly deflected portions 9 whichblend into the relatively long and slender bar-like portions 4 so as tospace said bar-like portions 4 slightly from the lens rims 1 throughoutthe upper con are adapted to hold said bar-like portions 4 in the rearof said rims when the parts are in desired assembled and adjustedrelation with each other. a

The relatively long and slender bar-like temple.

supports '4 terminate in rearwardly extending temple attaching ends [0to which the temples l i are pivotally attached as illustrated at l2.The dly from a point adjacent tour edges of the lens .rims cated abovethe useful field g is in desired location on the face,that,is, the saidends are adapted to rs of the pupils of the in fitted relation withinthe position of and are preferably 10 To provide an. attachment areaadjacentthe nose bearing pads 3 the front of the mounting has .a widenedarea H on the nasal sides of the lens d entireough the plates 1; asillustrated in Fig. I, or e'secured tothe rear surface of the plate ingor the like, or may be d, so that the be relatively design engravingsmay be. to be understood that the V d to any desirable contour shape.Thepurpose of utilizing the plates 1 and of flattening out the end- 5 isto provide relatively s of contact so that the parts may be,

with each other without out of the -ly thr 1 as bysoldering, weld frontsurface of the plate! will applied thereto. It is plate I maybe formesecured in rigid relation ak down. 7

be understood-that the plate I may f is in be embedded, so that theouter face thereo 7 the facial characduals the relatively long ts arefirst adjusted to follow the upper contour portions of the lens rims Inadjusting the mounting to and the rearwardly extending temple supportsare simultaneously p ositioned so. as to extend per temporal edges ofthe lenses. flo fit the tem-. ples tothe facial requirements ofdifferent individuals and to position the lenses in desired angularrelation to the lin said individuals the Irearwar'dly extending por-e a1connection l2 are dly, or upwardly or e tothe lens supporting rims. g ofthese latts and rearter adjustments the temple suppor l0 remainin desiradjusted relation with the lens rims. V r 7 ple supports porting rims,the der the action of ccmm y se tour of said rims and r front surface ofnt located adjacent the upe of straight ahead vision of enses may besnapped into ontractin the art whereby the l the lens supporting rimswhich upon 0 stood that the said lenses are provided with com- 5 monlyknown bevelled edges fitting within the V- shaped grooves internally ofthe rims. This placing of the lenses in the adjusted relation of thetemple supports.

Although the end 5 is described as being pro- 10 vided with spacedperforations for attachment with the rivets 6, it is to be understoodthat the said rivets may be integrally formed on said end and that theplate I could be provided with the V to receive the rivets, thereforeenabling the end of the rivet to be headed over. It is also apparentthat instead of utilizing rivets any other suitable type of connectingmeans may be used, for example, a screw or solder united connectingmember.

It is also to be understood that although the relatively long andslender temple supports are described as preferably being adjusted tofollow the rear ofthe upper c rims the said supports may be shapedtofollow the upper contour edges of said lens rims in the plane of thelenses or maybe disposed in the front of the plane of the lenses, but inall instances,it is preferable that they be shaped to the upper contourshape of'the lens rims.

As shown in Figs V and VI there is shown a modified form of theinvention wherein the relatively long and slender temple support l9,simulating the temple support 4; is provided with a flared end which iscupped or bent so as to pro'-. vide spaced longitudinal edges 2 theflared end 20 is secured to the rivets or the like 23, are adapted tobecome embedded in the material of the front 22 so as to lock the templesupport I 9 against side play relative to the front of the mountingduring use. It is to be understood the variousfflared :portions andoverlying plate-like mem .inthe material of the front or maybe insurface to surface relation therewi rivets 23 are carried bya H V beddedWithin thematerial of the front 22 so .that its outer surface isflushwith the adjacent surface of said front.. A'V-groove the lens rims ofthefront for receiving the bevelled edge of the lens and forh the lensrim. i

Figs. VII and VIII i1 cation wherein a relative ple support 26 similarto th cured to the lens'rim 21 by spaced rivets orthe like 28. Thetemple suppor flared or flattened portions Jthe rivets or thelike 28 soas ing surface of the support with the len 50 said locations. 'I'n'thisinstance, the rivets 28 are p'rovidedwith enlarged heads 39 having arelatively wide. bearing su surface of the lens rim. .The purpose of theen- .largedheads 3B and the flared portions fa ls to provide increasedbearingsurface with the material of the fro-nt so as to avo saidmaterial when the parts are secured in connected relation with eachother. V I

In Fig. IX there is illustrated a further modification wherein arelatively long, and slendertem- *ple support 3|, 'mentioned templesupport,

flared end 32 secured to the rivets or the like 34.. In this, end 32 isprovided with a b spaced openings 15 lustrate a further modifv ly longand slenderjtem- 29fin the vicinity of toi-ncrease the bearis providedwith a front 33. by spaced instance, the flared ent lip portion 35 ingwill hold the lenses therein. It is to be underv the lens rims will notdisturb ontour portion of the lens l which, when front 22 bythe bers maybe embedded th .as desired. The plate 24 preferably em- 25 is formed inolding said lens in e support I9 is se-.

t 26 is provided with s rim at rface with the frontid breaking. down thegenerally-similar to thelabove which is shaped to fit abouta sidesurface .of the front'adjacent the bridgaas illustrated in Fig.-

The purposeof this lip is to aid-in retaining the relatively long andslender temple support 3| in adjusted relation with the lenses .andprevent sagging of the outer temporal end of the support.

The rivets 34 are joined with a plate 36 providing a'wide bearingsurface with the front. a

. In Fig. XII there is illustrated a further modiflcation wherein arelatively long and slender templesupport 31 similar to the templesupport 3|..is provided'with spaced flaredportions 38 and 39 which areconnected by rivets or the like 40 tothe front 4|. Each of the rivetsextends through the material of the front and isprovided with anenlarged head providing a wide bearing surface with the adjacent surfaceof the front. The spaced rivet connections provide means for relativelyrigidly retaining the temple supper-t3] in adjusted position. 1 .In Fig.XIII is illustrated a further modification of the invention in which thetemple support 42 extends continuously from one temple to the other asis shown in part. The temple arm .2 extends along the upper contouredges of the lens holding members 43 in a manner similar to that shownin the other structures of this inven-- tion, and has a flared portion44 extending across the rear of the bridge 45 and having its surfacewhich lies adjacent the bridge of acontour such as will allow a closeand intimate surface to surface relation between the bridge 45, and.flared portion 44.

The temple support 42 may be connected to the bridge 45 by rivets or thelike 46.

It is to be understood that variations in this structure and itspositional relation with the bridge 45 and lens holders 43 are readilyconceivable and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exactstructure shown and described.

It is also to be understood that all of the flared end portions of thetemple supports may be cupped or bent, as illustrated in Fig. VI, so asto provide spaced edge portions which will become embedded in anchoredrelation with the material of the front.

Instead of cupping or "bending the various flared portions of the templesupports so as to provide spaced edges for engaging and becomingembedded in the material of the front, only the under surface of saidflared portions may be hollowed out so as to provide edge portions whichwill become embedded in the material of the front,

team extent which is due only to'the pressure' and 'heatof assembly. I

' In connection devices of this type in which an opening is firstmade-through the resin material of the body 22 and thereafte a pin putthrough said opening and a flared substantially flat metal portion suchas .20 is assembled over the end of the pinyit has been found that theforming of the opening through the body material tends :to create anupstanding distorted portion adjacent one end of the opening and that aflat member as.- sembled over a pin on this portion has only asubstantially single line ring type contact with the body portion due tothe fact that the body is elevated adjacent the opening and thereforethe flat member may contact the body portion only on a rounded surfacewhich allows only the ring contact mentioned above; This makes a verypoor connection particularly when there is such a long armextendingnfrom said connection and such a great amount of leverage dueto said length of arm and this produces an undesirable rocking actionabout the connection. When assemblies of this type have been made,therefore,

it has been very difficult to regulate theflexing action of an arm suchas I?! shown in Fig. V because of the poor connection. It is difficultto so assemble an arm with such a connection as to produce exactly theflexing desired without a great deal of adjustment and it is diflicultto provide two arms on the same frame which have the same flexingability.

This difficulty may be obviated by grinding'or otherwise flattening theface of the body portion 22 adjacent the opening so as to form a flatsurface on which the surface of a flat metal portion may rest but eventhis arrangement has not been found to be entirely satisfactory. Thepreferred structure therefore is that which is shown in cross section inFig. VI, that is, a member 20 is cupped longitudinally thereof to atrough-like shape as shown in Fig. VI. This arrangement provides aportion 20 with two edge contacts 2| and provides clearance centrallythereof to take care of any distortion which may be formed on the bodyporcontact.

as shown in Fig. XIV. This can be accomplished by a suitable swedging,milling or grooving operation.

The various flared portions of the temple supports, set forth above,have a different crossesectional shape than the main body portion ofsaid supports and are flared so as to have a greater surface contactarea than said main body portion. In one of the preferred constructionsthe main body portion has a relatively round or oval cross-sectionalshape and the flared portions have a rectangular cross-sectional shapewith the widest portion of the rectangle disposed so as to engage orcontact the front so as to provide a relatively wide bearing surface.This is true of all of the constructions set forth herein.

In Fig. VI it will be noted that the flared portion 20 is cupped and theedge portions 2| embeddedin the body 22. It is to be understood that theportions 20 and/or 24 may or may not be embedded or partially so asdesired. The portion 20 ordinarily would be embedded at its edges 2| Itis to be understood that the material of the fronts including the lensrims and bridge is nonmetallic and that the relatively long and slendertemple supports are preferably formed of metal which is pliable so as topermit adjustments but is sufficient rigid so as to retain its adjustedpositions. The said relatively long and slender temple supports may alsobe formed of resilient material or different portions thereof may beformed to have one or another of the above pliable or resilientcharacteristics.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, efficientand economical means have been provided for accomplishing all of theobjects and advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a front embodying apair of continuous undivided non-metallic lens rims of expandable andcontractable material connected by a bridge member having continuousuninterrupted contour edges on the temporal sides thereof, a pair oflong and slender metallic temple supports shaped substantially to followthe upper contour shape of the rims and to lie in the rear thereof,

each of said long and slender supports having an integral flattened endportion secured totthe front adjacent the opposed sides of the bridgemem-t her by means projectingforwardly of said flattened area into thematerial of said front'thereby anchoring the nasal ends of said long andslender' temple supports to said front and means carried by said longand slender metallic temple supports adjacent the temporal sides'of therims projecting forwardly of said temple sup-' ports and having aportion engaging with the 7 material of the lens rims at said locationfor retaining the portions of the long and slender me- 7 tallie templesupports shaped to follow substantially the'upper contour shapes of therims in alignment with'said rims and each'of said temple supports havinga temporal end portion turning rearwardly of the rims and terminating inatemple pivotal connection; v g V 2; A device of the character describedcomprising a front embodying a pair of continuous undivided non-metalliclens rims of expandable and contractable material. connected by'a bridgemember having continuous uninterrupted .con-

tour edges on the temporalsides thereof, a pair of, longand a slendermetallic temple supports shaped substantially to follow the uppercontour hape of the rims and to lie in the rear thereof, each of saidlong and slender supports having an integral flattened end portionsecured to the front adjacent the opposed sides of the bridge retainingsaid supports in alignment with the rims, and each of said templesupports turning rearwardly of the plane of the rims and'fromadjacentthe temporal sides thereof and terminat ing in a temple pivotalconnection.

' EDWARD M. SPLAINE.

